20 Cities Survive Amazon HQ2 Shortlist
Four months after Amazon announced plans to construct a second headquarters, North American cities have been making grandstanding pleas in order to court the ecommerce behemoth. New York City’s mayoral office lit up the Empire State building with Amazon’s glowing orange hue in a symbolic gesture, while certain cities like Chicago went the more extreme route, proposing laws that could funnel income taxes directly back to the company. After much speculation, here is the official Amazon HQ2 shortlist:
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Boston
- Chicago
- Columbus, Ohio
- Dallas
- Denver
- Indianapolis
- Los Angeles
- Miami
- Montgomery County, Md.
- Nashville
- Newark
- New York
- Northern Virginia
- Philadelphia
- Pittsburgh
- Raleigh, N.C.
- Toronto
- Washington, D.C.
Unsurprisingly, most of the cities that made the cut were among the largest in North America, with only one Canadian city—Toronto—left standing. Over 230 cities from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico made official bids for the company’s second headquarters, with Amazon prioritizing tech-centric metros of populations larger than 500,000. In fact, only four of the 20 metro areas—Miami, Nashville, Newark, and Pittsburgh—have a population of less than half a million, with Newark being the smallest of the entrants. Notably, Newark offered perhaps the largest financial incentive to the company, proposing upwards of $7 billion in tax incentives.
How the Amazon HQ2 shortlist was formed is not totally known, according to the New York Times:
“According to people briefed on the process who would speak only anonymously because the deliberations were private, the process was conducted by a team of about a dozen people within Amazon, including economists, human resources managers and executives who oversee real estate. Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s chief executive who was the mastermind behind turning the search into a public process and coined the term “HQ2,” was also involved, the people said.”
At the time of the initial announcement, Amazon released a stream of positive economic statistics about its impact in Seattle, home to the original headquarters. The company stated (although these statistics are still not yet verified by any source outside of Amazon) that it added $38 billion USD to the value of the city from 2010-16 alone, due to its investments and rapidly expanding workforce. Detractors argue that the financial value added to the city did not positively impact the quality of life, however, with more than 51 percent of Seattle residents making less than $50,000 per year and more than quarter of city residents earn less than $25,000 per year. The influx of high-level employment also contributed to rapidly rising housing costs and poorer traffic.
Experts from CNBC believe that Raleigh might be the front-runner of the remaining entrants, which matches the initial bid criteria the most. Although some speculate that Austin most aligns up with Amazon’s future. The company declined to announce when the final decision will be made.
What Amazon Means For MBA Students
Not so secretly, Amazon has become one of the world’s largest MBA recruiters, hiring students from top schools all over the world. We’ve previously outlined the details of why it has become such an attractive destination for business school students.
The company creates a direct pipeline from its MBA internship program to full-time employment, which should rapidly increase with the creation of HQ2. In a previous interview with the Financial Times, Miriam Park, the Amazon Director of University Programs, highlighted the company’s recruitment strategy:
“The Amazon recruitment process is designed to ensure we hire top candidates with high-growth potential whatever their background may be. As part of this we recruit current MBA students and MBA alumni for permanent and internship opportunities worldwide and see MBAs as an important part of our leadership development. We value people who can balance long-term strategic thinking with tactical execution, and who have the ability to make data-driven decisions.”
Stay tuned for more information about the second headquarters and more potential MBA employment opportunities with MetroMBA.
Comparing The U.S. News Full-Time and Online MBA Rankings
When it comes to business school rankings, U.S. News & World Report issues one of the most comprehensive annual lists. The annual rankings includes separate lists for the “Best Business Schools” and the “Best Online MBA Programs,” but deciding which format is right for you can still be tricky. Continue reading…
Temple, Carnegie Mellon Top U.S. News 2018 Online MBA Rankings
The annual U.S. News & World Report 2018 Online MBA rankings are officially in, with the Fox School of Business at Temple University, once again, taking the top honors.
Part-Time MBA Battle: Houston v. Dallas
Among the bustling metros of the Lone Star State, Dallas and Houston are the biggest. Locals from the Houston and Dallas metros are die-hard about their towns, and their business schools take their MBA programs seriously. Both cities offer plenty of part-time options to prospective MBAs, so let’s take a deeper dive.
Location
While Houston and Dallas are only about four hours away by car, each metro offers completely different living experiences. As far as weather goes, if you dislike humid climates, Dallas may be the location for you. If you love being by the water, Houston may be up your alley—though the city, unfortunately, is more at risk for tropical storms and hurricanes.
Houston is statistically the more expensive city to live in, but not by a significant margin. According to Numbeo, a database of user contributed data about cities, you would need around $4,242 in Houston to maintain the same standard of life that you can have with $4,000 in Dallas, assuming you do not own a home. As far as entertainment goes, it’s really a tie: Both metros boast great restaurants, shopping, sports entertainment, and nightlife.
Here are a couple more quick stats comparing Houston and Dallas, courtesy this awesome infographic from SpareFoot:
- Houston is the 5th best US city for good jobs, Dallas ranks 18th.
- Houston is the 5th best US city for job seekers, Dallas is 6th.
- Dallas has the 13th lowest unemployment rate in the US, Houston is 18th.
- Dallas has the 9th most affordable housing marketing in the US, Houston is 8th.
Not every MBA candidate can manage a full-time degree program. So many business school students continue to work throughout their studies, balancing a job and graduate school through a part-time MBA program. Many of these programs take place in the evenings and on weekends, allowing for flexibility along with continued professional growth.
Dallas Part-Time MBA Programs
The following schools in the Dallas metro offer part-time MBA programs:
- Cox School of Business – Southern Methodist University
- Naveen Jindal School of Management – University of Texas at Dallas
- Neeley School of Business – Texas Christian University
- University of North Texas College of Business
- University of Texas at Arlington College of Business
The Southern Methodist Professional MBA features a flexible and modular curriculum that students can customize to their learning and future career goals. Students have the option to choose a concentration and a minor from nine subject areas, including: accounting, finance, general business, information technology and operations management, management, marketing, real estate and strategy, and entrepreneurship.
The estimated total cost of the aforementioned Professional MBA program is $93,696. This figure excludes costs such as books, materials, housing, or transportation. However, approximately 60 percent of students receive some form of financial aid, either need-based or consumer loans.
The Professional MBA program at the Naveen Jindal School of Business consists of taking two classes each semester, and classes are usually offered Monday-Friday from 4 to 10 p.m. The program is offered three different formats: a Evening Cohort, Flex, and Online. The Evening cohort option can be completed in 24 months, and allows the entire intake to experience the 30 required classes together. The Flex program lets students finish their degree on their own schedule, online and on campus. Similarly, the Online MBA offers plenty of scheduling options, but a limited choice of electives and concentrations.
Tuition costs depend on the amount of courses taken per semester and which track students are enrolled in. At UT Dallas, students pay lower per credit when taking more classes per semester. The estimated cost for tuition and fees for in-state residents in the Evening PMBA program is $42,347, and $78,449 for non-residents and international students. Tuition and fees for resident students in the online program is estimated at $49,531, with non-resident tuition at $84,016. Scholarship opportunities are available.
The Professional MBA at the Neeley School of Business meets twice a week in the evenings. The cohort-based program that can be completed in as little as 24 months or as many as 33 months—the amount of time it takes to complete the program depends on how students schedule their elective courses.
One year of the Texas Christian Professional MBA program costs an estimated $33,090, which includes tuition and other program fees. Books and other course materials are estimated at about $1,000.
Students in the University of North Texas MBA program have the option of taking courses on a full-time or part-time basis, and can earn a MBA degree in such areas as finance, health services management, marketing, logistics and supply chain management, organizational behavior and human resource management, strategic management, or business studies. Students completing the MBA in business studies also have the opportunity to complete a concentration in international business, library science and technology, real estate, or sustainability.
The UT Arlington Professional Cohort MBA structure is created for experienced professionals who want to continue to work full-time and follows the same 45-credit hour curriculum as the MBA flexible structure. The cohort structure allows students to complete courses in accelerated five or eight-week sessions, which allows students to complete their MBA in 24 months. This format is only offered at the Fort Worth campus. The estimated cost of the MBA program at the University of Texas at Arlington College of Business is $25,382.
Houston Part-Time MBA Programs
The following schools in the Houston metro offer part-time MBA programs:
- C.T. Bauer College of Business – University of Houston
- Cameron School of Business – University of St. Thomas
- Jesse H. Jones School of Business – Texas Southern University
- Rice University – Jones Graduate School of Business
- University of Houston – Downtown
The University of Houston Professional MBA program is a flexible program that takes 22 months to complete and consists of 48 credit hours. Students must complete 21 core credit hours and 27 elective credit hours.
Tuition costs at Bauer are estimated at $42,000 for Texas residents, $66,600 for non-resident students, and $72,000 for international students. Costs can change depending on how many classes a student is taking and their student status MBA students can get financial assistance in the form of student loans and scholarships, such as the MBA Bauer Excellence Scholarship. Students can receive up to $10,000 per year, qualify for in-state tuition (for nonresidents) and receive a two-year subscription to The Wall Street Journal.
The Cameron School of Business offers a flexible MBA that holds classes on the weekends and in the evenings. Students in the MBA program at Cameron are required to complete 36 academic hours: 27 hours are in core course and nine credit hours are elective courses.
The cost of the Cameron School of Business MBA program is $1,163 per credit hour. Students taking eight or fewer credit hours per semester are required to pay a $47 activity fee. Those students taking nine or more hours are required to pay $82. Students must also pay a $100 new graduate student fee and an $80 technology fee. Students are required to pay all fees every fall and spring semester.
The Texas Southern MBA program at the Jesse H. Jones School of Business provides a general management education to students who are looking to advance their current careers in business management, and can be taken in a full-time or part-time schedule. Part-time program students can complete their MBA degree over a flexible amount of time, depending on their availability to complete courses. All students complete courses over the fall, spring, and summer semesters.
The Jones MBA costs about $7,130.38 a year for in-state residents and $13,700.38 a year for out-of-state folks. Other fees such as room and board, transportation, books and other personal expenses are not factored in the cost of the program.
Rice University’s MBA for Professionals is a flexible program that offers an evening or weekend option to allow students to maintain their current work schedules. The traditional professional MBA is held in a lock-step format while the Extended Professional MBA program holds classes two evenings a week during the first semester and one evening a week after that. Students in this program can extend their education for three years or more, up to five, in order to better fit with their schedule.
The current tuition cost is $101,500 for the Evening and Evening Extended programs and $105,500 for the Weekend program. The tuition covers the complete 22-month schedule of coursework and is billed in 25 percent increments over four semesters.
The University of Houston Downtown part-time MBA can be completed in two or three years. Classes are offered in a hybrid form, with some classes taking place on campus and others online. Students may elect to pursue a “soft start” to their MBA, where students pursue their concentration classes first, or a traditional-start MBA students, where they take core classes the first year, followed by concentration classes in the second year.
The school also offers a three-year path to an MBA where students work on their concentration the first year and then take the core classes in the second and third years, or elect to pursue a traditional start by taking core classes in the first two years and concentration courses in their third year.
At $532 per credit hour for in-state students, tuition for a UHD MBA varies depending on the concentration. Students concentrating on finance, human resource management, leadership management, or business development/sales management will pay $21,840. Concentrations in supply chain management, international business or accounting cost $23,940. An MBA with a general management concentration costs $18,088. Out-of-state students pay about $28,300 and out-of-country students pay around $28,480.
Which Dallas MBA Programs Offer the Best Starting Salary?
It’s naive to think that folks who earn their MBA degree don’t expect to earn a decent salary. After years of balancing work, studying, and life, an MBAs starting salary is the cherry on top of the grad school sundae. For those looking to work in or are attending school in the Dallas metro, here are the programs that can help you find that well-deserved pay day the fastest.
High Rollers
McCombs School of Business – University of Texas at Austin
According to statistics provided by the McCombs School of Business school, the average full-time MBA student goes on to earn a starting salary of $113,481 following graduation. The average full-time MBA grad also receives a signing bonus of $27,564. A full breakdown of McCombs full-time MBA salary statistics can be found here.
The McCombs School of Business is usually ranked among business schools in the U.S. for the number of MBA graduates who earn job offers. In fact, career planning is also built into the curriculum of the full-time MBA. During the first year students take a class called Strategic Career Planning—a course that was created to best prepare students to make career choices and help them achieve their career goals. The class teaches students skills like interview training and marketing and networking techniques.
Cox School of Business – Southern Methodist University
According to SMU’s MBA Placement Data, graduating MBAs at the Cox School of Business earn an average salary of $96,587. Recent Cox MBAs have been offered jobs at companies such as Amazon, At&T, Capital One, Deloitte, and more.
Students have the option of customizing their education by completing up to two concentrations in addition to the MBA program. While all full-time students are enrolled in the General Business concentration, additional majors include: accounting, business analytics, finance, general business, information technology and operations management, management, marketing, real estate, and strategy and entrepreneurship. MBAs majoring in strategy, general management, leadership, and consulting earn a bit more, averaging $108,333 to start, while accounting, finance, and real estate majors earn a bit less, averaging $94,173 annually.
Next Tier
Neeley School of Business – Texas Christian University
The TCU Neeley School of Business full-time MBA program is designed for professionals who may not necessarily have a background in business, but are interested in changing careers or transitioning into a new field where business and management knowledge would be necessary. According to StartClass, TCU MBAs earn an average salary of $89,579 post-graduation.
To help secure a job with a well-paying salary, MBA students have access to The Neeley Professional Development Center and the Graduate Career Services Center. The Professional Development Center provides Neeley students with personal and professional training and coaching for presentations, business writing, and career preparation. Meanwhile, the Graduate Career Services Center provides students with resume help, job search, networking events, career coaching, interview prep, and skill building programs.
CHECK THIS OUT: “The Most Affordable MBA Programs in Dallas“
Commerce College of Business – Texas A&M University
Different from the Mays School of Business on A&M’s main campus, the Commerce College of Business is located about one hour northeast of the Dallas metro. PayScale data reveals that Texas A&M Commerce MBAs earn a starting salary of $89,393.
Commerce students have access to the office of Career Development, which offers students special events such as networking nights, job shadow programs, business etiquette dinners, career fairs, and job search workshops. The CD can also help students with resume and cover letter consultation, LinkedIn consultation, mock interviews, career assessment, and counseling and employment application
Naveen Jindal School of Management – University of Texas at Dallas
Students who graduate with an MBA degree from the Jindal School of Management at UT Dallas earn an average starting salary of $86,644.
According to U.S. News, MBA graduates from the Naveen Jindal School of Management have the best salary-to-debt ratio of any ranked school. As stated above, Jindal MBAs earn an average starting salary of $86,644 and have an average student loan debt of $7,132—an earnings-to-debt ratio of 12.148. The average ratio for ranked business schools that reported the data is 1.986.
Up-And-Coming
Hankamer School of Business – Baylor University
Baylor Hankamer School of Business MBA graduates earn a reported average starting salary of nearly $65,000. Recent Baylor full-time MBA graduating class had a 64 percent job placement rate at the time of graduation and 86 percent placement rate 90 days after graduation.
University of North Texas College of Business
PayScale reports that the average starting salary for North Texas College of Business MBA grads is also $65,000. North Texas features the Career Center at the Business Leadership Building where students receive one-on-one advising, career planning, and career exploration help from graduate advisors. These advisors help students with résumé and cover letter writing as well as mock interviews.
Gupta College of Business to Partner with Prospanica
A new partnership has been recently announced between the University of Dallas – Satish and Yasmin Gupta College of Business and Prospanica—the Association of Hispanic Professionals. Together, the two institutions hope to better prepare all students at the university to enter a diverse workforce and serve in a range of specialties and fields.
